Apparatus and method for identifying a position of a bowstring

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for identifying a position of a bowstring relative to an archery bow. A position indicator includes one body mounted with respect to the archery bow and another body moveable with respect to the one body. With the bowstring in a drawn position, a contact can operate or not operate the indicator to show an archer that the bowstring is in the fully drawn position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a device and method that can be used toidentify a position of a bowstring, for example, so that an archer canidentify when the bowstring is or is not in a fully drawn position.

2. Discussion of Related Art

When an archer draws a archery compound bow, the archer firstexperiences increasing forces necessary to pull the bowstring. Then,after reaching a peak force necessary to draw the bowstring, the archerexperiences a decreased force necessary to hold the compound bow in afully drawn position, which is approximately 20% to 35% of the peakforce value. Thus, when aiming the archery bow, the archer can hold thecompound bow in a fully drawn position, but at a much lesser pullingforce.

Quite often, as an archer continues to hold the bowstring in a fullydrawn position, for example when aiming a drawn arrow at a target, thearcher may fatigue which can result in a decrease of the requiredholding force. As the required holding force is decreased, the compoundbow begins to follow the force versus distance curve, but in a reversedirection. As the archer allows the compound bow to return from thefully drawn position, a force delivered by a released bowstring can besignificantly decreased. Even if the archer only slightly moves thebowstring away from the fully drawn position, the difference between adischarge force from the fully drawn position and only slightly awayfrom the fully drawn position can result in several inches ofinaccuracy, such as where a discharged arrow hits a target.

Because different hunting or other target shooting events require anarcher to hold a fully drawn compound bow for a relatively long timeperiod, there is an apparent need for an apparatus and a method thatalerts the archer when the bowstring is moved even slightly away fromthe fully drawn position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of this invention to provide a position indicator thatcan inform an archer when an archery bow is or is not in a fully drawnposition.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method for drawing abowstring, particularly of an archery compound bow, and indicating to anarcher when the bowstring is in a fully drawn position and also when thebowstring creeps away from the fully drawn position.

The above and other objects of this invention are accomplished with aposition indicator that includes a first body, such as a cable slide,mounted with respect to an archery bow and a second body, such as a stopelement, moveable with respect to the first body. A lever or othermechanical component is mounted with respect to the second body. Incertain embodiments of this invention, when the bowstring is in a drawnposition, such as a fully drawn position, the lever or other mechanicalcomponent operates an indicator.

In some embodiments according to this invention, the indicator can emita signal when the bowstring is and/or is not in the drawn position. Forexample, a light source or an audible signal can be switched on oroperated when the bowstring is in the fully drawn position. When thebowstring creeps or moves away from or out of the fully drawn position,the light source and/or the audible signal can be switched off toindicate that the bowstring is not in the fully drawn position.

In certain embodiments of this invention, the second body can be mountedwith respect to a bus cable of the archery bow. As the bus cable moveswhen the bowstring is drawn, the second body moves with respect to thefirst body. Such movement can be calibrated to complete an electricalcircuit and thus operate the indicator, for example, only when thebowstring is in the drawn position. For example, releasing the bowstringfrom the fully drawn position can, for example, cause the indicator tono longer operate. With such embodiments, the archer can identify whenthe bowstring has crept away from and is no longer in the fully drawnposition. Then, the archer can choose to apply more drawing force andmove the bowstring back into the fully drawn position, to achieve amaximum discharge force of an arrow from the archery bow.

In other embodiments of this invention, the second body or a connectedor integrated component can be mounted or otherwise attached to an arrowshaft. As the arrow shaft is moved into an fully drawn position, thesecond body can be used to close or complete an electric circuit or canbe detected, such as electromagnetically, electromechanically opticallyand/or magnetically, and similarly operate the indicator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and objects of this invention will bebetter understood from the following detailed description taken in viewof the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a first body shown as a cableslide, according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective rear view of the cable slide, as shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the cable slide, as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the cable slide, as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the cable slide, as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of the cable slide, asshown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a perspective top view showing bus cables mounted within acable slide, according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective front view of the cable slide, as shown in FIG.7, and also with a stop element and a contact mounted on one of the buscables;

FIG. 9. is a perspective top view showing how a stop element is clampedonto a bus cable, according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 10 shows a front view of the stop element, with twisted servingmaterial used to prevent the stop element from sliding with respect tothe bus cable;

FIG. 11 is a perspective side view of a cable slide with an indicator asan illuminated light, according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective front view of the cable slide, as shown in FIG.11, but with the indicator in an off position; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a position indicator, according to oneembodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show position indicator 20, according to one embodiment ofthis invention. FIG. 13 schematically shows position indicator 20mounted with respect to archery bow 21 and bowstring 22, according toone embodiment of this invention.

In certain embodiments of this invention, position indicator 20comprises body 30 mounted with respect to archery bow 21. As shown inFIG. 13, body 30 comprises cable slide 32 slidably mounted along rod 33which is fixed with respect to archery bow 21. In certain embodiments,at least one bus cable 25 is slidably mounted with respect to body 30.As shown in FIGS. 7-9 and 11-13, two bus cables 25 are slidably mountedwith respect to body 30.

As shown in FIGS. 7-9 and 11-13, body 30 can be slidably mounted withrespect to rod 33. Any other suitable mechanical arrangement can be usedto moveably mount or otherwise allow body 30 to move with respect toarchery bow 21.

As shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 11-13, body 40 is moveable with respect tobody 40. In certain embodiments of this invention body 40 comprises stopelement 42, such as shown in FIGS. 9-12. Body 40 and/or stop element 42can be clamped, attached, secured or otherwise frictionally ormechanically fit onto or with respect to bus cable 25. In suchembodiments, when bowstring 22 is drawn, each bus cable 25 moves withrespect to body 30. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, for example, clamp 45 isused to attach body 40 and/or stop element 42 to bus cable 25. Thus,when bowstring 22 is drawn, stop element 42 can be positioned at aspecific location along bus cable 25. The particular location of stopelement 42 or any other body 40 can be calibrated and/or calculated sothat when bowstring 22 is in a fully drawn position, stop element 42 ofbody 40 abuts contact 36 and moves contact 36 into a position in whichcontact 36 completes or closes an electrical circuit and activatesindicator 50. As shown in FIG. 8, there is a space between contact 36and body 30, so that when stop element 42 does not abut contact 36, theelectrical circuit is open or not complete and indicator 50 isdeactivated.

With bowstring 22 in a fully drawn position, the completed electricalcircuit can be designed to either activate or deactivate indicator 50.Thus, body 40 and/or stop element 42 can be used to operate indicator50.

In some embodiments of this inventions, indicator 50 is operated whenbowstring 22 reaches a fully drawn position. As used throughout thespecification and in the claim the phrase fully drawn position isintended to relate to and be interchangeable with the phrase drawnposition. Because many archers hold a drawn position for a relativelylong time period, such as when aiming at a target, the archers canbenefit from knowing when bowstring 22 is in a fully drawn position andwhen bowstring 22 begins to move or creep away from the fully drawnposition. There can be an advantage to the archer launching an arrowfrom a fully drawn position rather than a crept away position.

The dimensions and shape of body 40 can be selected to allow stopelement 42 to move away from contact 36, to turn off or not operateindicator 50. Thus, the archer can identify or be alerted or alarmedwhen bowstring 22 moves away from the fully drawn position.

As shown FIGS. 1-6, indicator 50 comprises light source 51, such as apowered LED or other suitable light source, mounted to body 30. Lightsource 51 can be aimed so that the archer can see when light source 51is activated or operated. Light source 51 may also comprise a shield, adiffuser or any other mechanical device for protecting light source 51and/or improving visibility during certain surrounding conditions, suchas a daylight condition.

Indicator 50 may comprise any other suitable visual device that canindicate an on position or an off position of indicator 50. For example,indicator 50 may also comprise a suitable audio tone, audio signal, orany other signal that can be sensed by the archer.

In some embodiments of this invention, indicator 50 can emit an alarmwhen the bowstring is in the drawn position. The alarm can include anyvisual signal, audio signal or other signal that can be sensed by thearcher. The alarm can be switched between on and off or between off andon, to indicate when bowstring 22 is or is not in the drawn position.

In other embodiments of this invention, clamp 45 is attached to body 40,such as shown in FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 10, clamp 45 can comprise aband of conductive material, such as a metal material, surrounding body40, which can be an elastomeric element or another metal and/ornon-metal element. In other embodiments of this invention, body 40, stopelement 42 and/or clamp 45 may comprise a conductive lever, a conductivestop element, a conductive leaf spring or any other suitable conductiveand/or non-conductive mechanical member that can be used to interferewith contact 36 and thus operate indicator 50.

In other embodiments of this invention, body 40 comprises a conductiveband positioned on arrow shaft 23, such as band 24 as shown in FIG. 13,a conductive strip applied to arrow shaft 23 or any other suitableconductive or non-conductive element that can be used to send a signalto and/or operate indicator 50. For example, any suitableelectromagnetic, magnetic, electromechanical, optical or other sensingdevice, such as sensor 55 as shown in FIG. 13, can be used to indicaterelative movement or a position of bowstring 22 and/or arrow shaft 23relative to archery bow 21. Sensor 55 can send a signal to operateindicator 50.

A method for identifying a position of bowstring 22 relative to archerybow 21, comprises drawing bowstring 22 and moving, preferablysimultaneously moving, body 40 with respect to archery bow 21. Uponreaching the drawn position, indicator 50 is operated. Thus, the archercan identify when bowstring 22 is or is not in the fully drawn position.As long as indicator 50 remains in an operated condition, for example,the archer will know that bowstring 22 is in the fully drawn position.When indicator 50 does not operate, for example, the archer will knowthat an additional pulling force is necessary to bring bowstring 22 intothe fully drawn position.

It is also possible to reverse roles of elements in this invention sothat indicator 50 remains operated or switched on when bowstring 22 isnot in the fully drawn position, and also remains not operated orswitched off when bowstring 22 is in the fully drawn position. Forexample, the opposite bus cable 25 could be used to accomplish the rolereversal.

While in the foregoing detailed description this invention has beendescribed in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and manydetails have been set forth for purposes of illustration, it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is susceptibleto additional embodiments and that certain of the details describedherein can be varied considerably without departing from the basicprinciples of this invention.

1. A position indicator for identifying a position of a bowstring relative to an archery bow, the position indicator comprising: a first body mounted with respect the archery bow, a second body moveable with respect to the first body, an indicator, and with the bowstring in a drawn position a movement of the second body operating the indicator.
 2. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the first body is moveable with respect to the archery bow.
 3. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the first body is slidably mounted with respect to the archery bow, and at least one bus cable each is slidably mounted with respect to the first body.
 4. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is mounted to the first body.
 5. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the first body is a cable slide.
 6. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the second body comprises a stop element with a mounting attachable to a bus cable of the archery bow.
 7. The position indicator according to claim 6, wherein a clamp is attached to the second body.
 8. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the indicator emits an alarm when the bowstring is in the drawn position.
 9. The position indicator according to claim 8, wherein the alarm includes a sensed signal.
 10. The position indicator according to claim 9, wherein the sensed signal is at least one of a visual signal and an audio signal.
 11. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a light source.
 12. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein an electrical conductor is mounted with respect to at least one of the first body and the second body.
 13. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the electrical conductor comprises at least one of a conductive band, a conductive lever and a conductive stop element.
 14. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein with the bowstring in the drawn position the contact completes an electrical circuit that activates the indicator.
 15. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein the second body comprises an arrow shaft.
 16. The position indicator according to claim 15, wherein the contact comprises at least one of a conductive band positioned on the arrow shaft and a conductive strip applied to the arrow shaft.
 17. A method for identifying a position of a bowstring relative to an archery bow, the method comprising: drawing the bowstring and simultaneously moving a body with respect to the archery bow; and upon reaching a drawn position, operating an indicator.
 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein with the bowstring in the drawn position, the indicator emitting a signal that can be sensed.
 19. The method according to claim 17, wherein with the bowstring in the drawn position a contact completes an electrical circuit that activates the indicator.
 20. The method according to claim 17, wherein moving the bowstring from the drawn position deactivates the indicator. 